Licensure guide · Maine

How to get a Maine physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Maine are licensed by the Maine State Board of Examiners in Physical Therapy. Below is what the board requires, from education to renewal, with every requirement linked to the board page it comes from. Checked October 22, 2026.

Step by step

Getting licensed

Education: Applicants must have graduated from a physical therapist program accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Commissioner of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation and approved by the board; foreign-trained applicants need equivalent credentials and proficiency in written and spoken English. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE); FSBPT determines eligibility to sit for the NPTE for graduates of CAPTE-accredited programs, and examination fees are paid directly to FSBPT. [3]
Background check: Applicants for initial licensure or licensure by endorsement must undergo a state and FBI criminal history background check, which includes having fingerprints taken. [4]
Fees: The physical therapist license fee is $30.00, plus a criminal background check fee of $21.00; NPTE examination fees are paid separately to FSBPT. [3]
Where to apply: Applicants who have passed the examination apply for the physical therapist license through the online licensing service linked from the board's licensing page. [3] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Maine has enacted the PT Compact but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed elsewhere still need a Maine license for now.

Licensed in another state: Physical therapists licensed in another state may apply for a Maine license by endorsement and must submit a verification of every license they have ever held, even licenses that are no longer active. [5]
Interstate compact: The PT Compact Commission lists Maine among states that have enacted PT Compact legislation, not among its member states, so Maine is not yet a full participating member of the compact. [7]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Maine's Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation issues a temporary license, effective for 180 days, to active duty service members, recently separated veterans and their spouses or domestic partners who hold a comparable unrestricted license in another jurisdiction; holders must apply for full licensure during that time. [6]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Physical therapist licenses renew annually on March 31 for a $25.00 fee; renewals after expiration incur a $50.00 late fee, and renewals more than 90 days late are subject to the requirements for new applicants. [3]

Working in Maine

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Maine earn a mean of $97,950 a year (BLS). Most of our Maine searches are confidential and never posted; tell us what you want and we will match you quietly.

Sources

Every requirement above was checked against the official page listed here on October 22, 2026. Boards change fees and rules, so confirm with the Maine board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Maine licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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